— Trial with azithromycin proves no benefit to common practice in the emergency department
May 18, 2026
• 3 min read
A course of azithromycin for preschoolers who presented to the emergency department (ED) with wheezing didn't improve their symptoms, the AZ-SWED trial showed.
Among children, ages 18-59 months, the 5-day sum of scores on the Asthma Flare-up Diary for Young Children (ADYC) did not differ significantly compared with placebo in either those who initially tested positive for pathogenic bacteria (median 9.59 vs 9.72, P=0.70) or those who tested negative (9.30 vs 9.10, P=0.69). ADYC scores range from 5-35 points, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms.
